The Plott Hound is a large - sized hound breed that originated in the United States in the 18th century4. In 1750, Johannes Georg Plott, a German immigrant, brought five Schweisshunds to the United States. Through the cultivation of the Plott family for nearly 250 years, their descendants have become the present - day Plott Hounds4.
The Plott Hound is known for its intelligence, alertness, and confidence, with typical hound characteristics4. It is strong - bodied, with males standing 20 - 25 inches at the shoulder, females 20 - 23 inches, and weighing between 40 - 60 pounds1. Its coat is short and smooth, with a variety of colors, mainly various brindle colors such as yellow, red, chocolate, and blue brindle, and occasionally buckskin1.
Traditionally, this breed is used for tracking and hunting large - game animals. It shows tenacity, agility, and courage in hunting4. It is loyal to its owner and cautious with strangers, but after good socialization training, it can get along well with people and other animals1. The Plott Hound requires a lot of exercise and loves swimming, making it an excellent outdoor companion1. However, due to its gulping eating habit, it may face health problems such as gastric torsion4.
In the United States, the Plott Hound is mainly distributed in the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge region, and the Great Smoky Mountains in the east. Although it is more common in the southern states, it is relatively rare in other parts of the United States and is usually not kept as a single pet4. In 2007, the American Kennel Club officially included it in the Hound Group, which has brought it wider recognition4
